1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for reproducing audio information, and an information record medium on which an audio information reproduction program to enable such a reproduction is recorded and which can be read by a computer, and more particularly relates to a method of and an apparatus for reproducing the audio information, which can reproduce two or more audio information continuously without intermittence while maintaining a constant rhythm. The present invention also relates to a program storage device such as an information record medium for storing a program and a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, which enable a computer to perform such an audio information reproduction.
2. Description of the Related Art
A club or salon referred to as a so-called xe2x80x9cclubxe2x80x9d in Japan is very popular in which young persons mainly enjoy a dance in time to a music composition having a nimble rhythm. In such a club, in order for the persons to enjoy the dance, it is preferred that a plurality of music compositions are continuously played while a constant rhythm is maintained, even between different music compositions.
Here, the xe2x80x9crhythmxe2x80x9d implies such a structure that a strength and a weakness of a tone are periodically repeated in a certain music composition (namely, a beat).
A plurality of music compositions are outputted to the inside of the club as an editor for editing the combination of music compositions (hereafter, this editor is referred to as a xe2x80x9cdisc jockeyxe2x80x9d) selects and synthesizes the music compositions respectively outputted from a plurality of reproducing apparatuses, in the actual spot or scene.
At this time, as an actual method of continuously reproducing and outputting two music compositions, the disc jockey drives two reproducing apparatuses, for example, by using the following procedure.
(i) While a first reproducing apparatus is used to reproduce and output one music composition from an information record medium such as an optical disc, a second reproducing apparatus is used to reproduce another music composition. Then, another music composition is listened to by the disc jockey by using a headphone or the like without outputting it into the inside of the club.
(ii) Then, a reproducing speed of the second reproducing apparatus is set such that, while another music composition is listened to by the disc jockey, the time period required for one beat in another music composition coincides with that in the one music composition (which is currently being reproduced and outputted). Then, a head portion of another music composition is searched (i.e., a so-called xe2x80x9chead searchxe2x80x9d is performed).
(iii) When the one music composition which is currently being reproduced and outputted approaches an end thereof, a reproduction level of the one music composition is gradually dropped (a so-called xe2x80x9cfade-outxe2x80x9d is performed). Along with this, another music composition is reproduced from the head portion thereof while it is matched with the beat timing of the one music composition. Then, the reproduction level for another music composition is gradually increased (a so-called xe2x80x9cfade-inxe2x80x9d is performed), so that another music composition is outputted to the inside of the club.
(iv) When the reproduction level of another music composition becomes equal to a proper reproduction level, the reproduction of the one music composition, which has been reproduced and outputted, is stopped. Then, the first reproducing apparatus is ready for further another music composition to be continuously reproduced after another music composition which is currently being reproduced and outputted.
After that, as the disc jockey repeats the procedure (i) to the procedure (iv), the plurality of different music compositions can be reproduced continuously without the intermittence while the rhythm is maintained constant.
In the above-mentioned series of operations, the xe2x80x9cbeatxe2x80x9d implies each portion of the strengths and weaknesses of the tones repeated in the cycles of the rhythms of each music composition, and it is composed of a strong beat and a weak beat. The xe2x80x9cstrong beatxe2x80x9d implies a strong portion of the bar or beat in a flow of the rhythm (typically, this portion corresponds to a first beat on a staff, and this is a portion represented by a motion of a conductor in which a baton is brought down from the above). Moreover, the xe2x80x9cweak beatxe2x80x9d implies a weak portion of the bar or beat in the flow of the rhythm.
At this time, for example, a double time uses a strong beat and a weak beat. A triple time uses a strong beat, a weak beat and a weak beat. A quadruple time uses a strong beat, a weak beat, a middle beat and a weak beat.
On the other hand, as a method of mechanically carrying out such a continuous reproduction, there is a connection reproduction method using a memory, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid Open Publication No. Sho. 60-166892.
However, in case that the continuous reproduction is performed by the above-mentioned manual operations of the disc jockey, it is required to temporarily stop the reproduction output of the music composition, which is being currently reproduced and outputted, and perform a detection of a time period required for one beat of the music composition to be next reproduced, in order to recognize this predetermined time duration to perform the continuous reproduction while keeping the consistency of the rhythm.
On the other hand, according to the above mentioned mechanical connection reproduction using the memory, there is only disclosed a technique of performing the continuous reproduction without inserting any vacant time duration between the plurality of music compositions, which are recorded on the same information record medium, and there is not disclosed any technique of detecting the time period required for one beat of the music composition, which is recorded on the same information record medium and is to be next reproduced.
The present invention is proposed in view of the above mentioned problems. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for reproducing audio information, while continuing a reproduction output of one music composition, which can detect a time period required for one beat of another music composition, to thereby caution a disc jockey etc., by outputting the detected time period, or to thereby enable a reproduction control such as starting another music composition with making the time period required for one beat of said another music composition coincident with that of said one music composition, as well as a program storage device for storing a program such as an information record medium and a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, which enable a computer to function as such an audio information reproducing apparatus.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by an apparatus for reproducing one audio information and another audio information, both of which are recorded on an information record medium. The apparatus is provided with: a detecting device such as a BPM (Beat Per Minute) detector etc., for detecting said one audio information and said another audio information from the information record medium and also detecting a time period required for one beat of the detected another audio information; an accumulating device such as a ring buffer memory etc., for accumulating said one audio information detected from the information record medium to thereby continue reproducing and outputting said one audio information through the accumulating device; and a controlling device such as a sub CPU (Central Processing Unit) etc., for controlling the detecting device to detect said another audio information and the time period required for one beat, within a time duration that the accumulated one audio information is being reproduced and outputted through the accumulating device.
According to the audio information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the time period required for one beat of said another audio information is detected while said one audio information accumulated in the accumulating device is reproduced and outputted. Thus, it is possible, while continuing the reproduction of said one audio information recorded on the information record medium, to detect the time period required for one beat of said another audio information recorded on the same information record medium.
Therefore, it is possible to caution the disc jockey etc., by outputting the time period required for one beat of said another audio information while continuing the reproduction output of said one audio information, and it is also possible to perform the reproduction control such as starting the reproduction output of said another audio information while making the time period required for one beat of said another audio information coincident with that of said one audio information, so that said another audio information can be continuously reproduced and outputted after said one audio information from the same information record medium.
In one aspect of the apparatus of the present invention, the controlling device includes: a monitoring device such as a sub CPU etc., for monitoring an accumulation amount of said one audio information in the accumulating device while the detecting device is detecting the time period required for one beat; and a continuing device such as a sub CPU etc., for controlling the detecting device to transiently stop detecting the time period required for one beat and also controlling the detecting device and the accumulating device to continue reproducing and outputting said one audio information while detecting one portion of said one audio information, which has never been accumulated yet, from the information record medium and accumulating the detected one portion, in case that the monitored accumulation amount reaches a predetermined lower limit accumulation amount.
According to this aspect, when the accumulation amount is decreased to be the lower limit accumulation amount during the detection of the time period required for one beat, this detection is transiently stopped, and the reproduction and output of said one audio information is continued while the one portion is being accumulated. Thus, it is possible to detect the time period required for one beat of said another audio information while surely continuing the reproduction output of said one audio information.
In this aspect of the apparatus of the present invention, the monitoring device may also monitor the accumulation amount while the detecting device is detecting said one portion and the accumulating device is accumulating the detected one portion, after the detecting device transiently stops detecting the time period required for one beat. The controlling device may further include a resuming device for controlling the accumulating device to transiently stop accumulating the detected one portion and also controlling the detecting device to resume detecting the time period required for one beat, which has never been detected yet, in case that the monitored accumulation amount reaches a predetermined upper limit accumulation amount.
By constituting in this manner, when the accumulation amount is increased to be the upper limit accumulation amount, the accumulation of said one audio information is transiently stopped, and the detection of the time period required for one beat, which has been transiently stopped, is resumed. Thus, it is possible to detect the time period required for one beat of said another audio information while surely maintaining the condition of reproducing and outputting said one audio information.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a method of reproducing one audio information and another audio information, both of which are recorded on an information record medium. The method is provided with: a detecting process of detecting said one audio information and said another audio information from the information record medium and also detecting a time period required for one beat of the detected another audio information; an accumulating process of accumulating said one audio information detected from the information record medium to thereby continue reproducing and outputting said one audio information through the accumulating process; and a controlling process of controlling the detecting process to detect said another audio information and the time period required for one beat, within a time duration that the accumulated one audio information is being reproduced and outputted through the accumulating process.
According to the audio information reproducing method of the present invention, the time period required for one beat of said another audio information is detected while said one audio information accumulated in the accumulating process is reproduced and outputted. Thus, it is possible, while continuing the reproduction of said one audio information recorded on the information record medium, to detect the time period required for one beat of said another audio information recorded on the same information record medium.
Therefore, it is possible to caution the disc jockey etc., by outputting the time period required for one beat of said another audio information while continuing the reproduction output of said one audio information, and it is also possible to perform the reproduction control such as starting the reproduction output of said another audio information while making the time period required for one beat of said another audio information coincident with that of said one audio information.
In one aspect of the method of the present invention, the controlling process includes: a monitoring process of monitoring an accumulation amount of said one audio information in the accumulating process while the detecting process is detecting the time period required for one beat; and a continuing process of controlling the detecting process to transiently stop detecting the time period required for one beat and also controlling the detecting process and the accumulating process to continue reproducing and outputting said one audio information while detecting one portion of said one audio information, which has never been accumulated yet, from the information record medium and accumulating the detected one portion, in case that the monitored accumulation amount reaches a predetermined lower limit accumulation amount.
According to this aspect, when the accumulation amount is decreased to be the lower limit accumulation amount during the detection of the time period required for one beat, this detection is transiently stopped, and the reproduction and output of said one audio information is continued while the one portion is being accumulated. Thus, it is possible to detect the time period required for one beat of said another audio information while surely continuing the reproduction output of said one audio information.
In this aspect of the method of the present invention, the monitoring process may also monitor the accumulation amount while the detecting process is detecting said one portion and the accumulating process is accumulating the detected one portion, after the detecting process transiently stops detecting the time period required for one beat. The controlling process may further include a resuming process of controlling the accumulating process to transiently stop accumulating the detected one portion and also controlling the detecting process to resume detecting the time period required for one beat, which has never been detected yet, in case that the monitored accumulation amount reaches a predetermined upper limit accumulation amount.
By constituting in this manner, when the accumulation amount is increased to be the upper limit accumulation amount, the accumulation of said one audio information is transiently stopped, and the detection of the time period required for one beat, which has been transiently stopped, is resumed. Thus, it is possible to detect the time period required for one beat of said another audio information while surely maintaining the condition of reproducing and outputting said one audio information.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform processes to reproduce one audio information and another audio information, both of which are recorded on an information record medium, in an audio information reproducing apparatus provided with: a detecting device for detecting said one audio information and said another audio information from the information record medium and also detecting a time period required for one beat of the detected another audio information; and an accumulating device for accumulating said one audio information. The processes include: a process of controlling the accumulating device to accumulate said one audio information detected from the information record medium to thereby continue reproducing and outputting said one audio information through the accumulating device, and a process of controlling the detecting device to detect said another audio information and the time period required for one beat, within a time duration that the accumulated one audio information is being reproduced and outputted through the accumulating device.
According to the program storage device of the present invention, as the computer reads in and executes the program stored therein, it is possible to realize the above described audio information reproducing apparatus of the present invention on the computer.
In one aspect of the program storage of the present invention, the processes may further include: a process of monitoring an accumulation amount of said one audio information in the accumulating device while the detecting device is detecting the time period required for one beat; and a process of controlling the detecting device to transiently stop detecting the time period required for one beat and also controlling the detecting device and the accumulating device to continue reproducing and outputting said one audio information while detecting one portion of said one audio information, which has never been accumulated yet, from the information record medium and accumulating the detected one portion, in case that the monitored accumulation amount reaches a predetermined lower limit accumulation amount.
In this aspect of the program storage device of the present invention, the processes may further include: a process of monitoring the accumulation amount while the detecting device is detecting said one portion and the accumulating device is accumulating the detected one portion, after the detecting device transiently stops detecting the time period required for one beat; and a process of controlling the accumulating device to transiently stop accumulating the detected one portion and also controlling the detecting device to resume detecting the time period required for one beat, which has never been detected yet, in case that the monitored accumulation amount reaches a predetermined upper limit accumulation amount.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions which cause a computer to perform processes to reproduce one audio information and another audio information, both of which are recorded on an information record medium, in an audio information reproducing apparatus provided with: a detecting device for detecting said one audio information and said another audio information from the information record medium and also detecting a time period required for one beat of the detected another audio information; and an accumulating device for accumulating said one audio information. The processes include: a process of controlling the accumulating device to accumulate said one audio information detected from the information record medium to thereby continue reproducing and outputting said one audio information through the accumulating device, and a process of controlling the detecting device to detect said another audio information and the time period required for one beat, within a time duration that the accumulated one audio information is being reproduced and outputted through the accumulating device.
According to the computer data signal embodied in the carrier wave of the present invention, as the computer downloads and executes the program in the computer data signal, it is possible to realize the above described audio information reproducing apparatus of the present invention on the computer.
The nature, utility, and further features of this invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect to preferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below.